The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has condemned Ghanaians who rundown the presidency by heaping insults on the personality of the nation’s number one gentleman. He said such practice which ran through the presidency of former Presidents J.J. Rawlings and J.A. Kufuor and continues to manifest itself in the presidency of J.E.A. Mills, was un-Ghanaian and must stop. He, therefore, urged Ghanaians to give maximum respect to the office of the President even if one did not support the President’s party. Otumfuo Osei Tutu made the remarks at a colourful grand durbar of the chiefs and people of Acherensua in the Asutifi District in the Brong-Ahafo Region to climax the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the reign of Agyewodin (Prof) Adu Gyamfi Ampem, the Omanhene of Acherensua Traditional Area, on Saturday. Agyewodin Ampem, known in private life as Prof. Adu Gyamfi Kesse, was enstooled in 1971 under the stool name Nana Adu Gyamfi Ampem and, by dint of hard work, was elevated to a paramount chief in 1981 by the late Otumfuo Opoku Ware II, a decade after his enstoolment. The celebration was on the theme: “40 Years Reign; Enhancing the institution of Chieftainship”. Otumfuo Osei Tutu, in his address, urged Ghanaians not to hide behind their freedom of speech to insult leaders since such practice had the potential of destroying the country’s democracy. The Asantehene further urged political parties to tell the people of Ghana what they could do during campaigns instead of engaging in insults. Otumfuo Osei Tutu noted that politics of insults and intimidation would not help the nation and, therefore, called on politicians across the political divide to respect each other’s view whether they agreed or disagreed. The Asantehene also expressed concern about the numerous disputes that had bedeviled the chieftaincy institution and called on kingmakers to be truthful and also to follow the laid down procedures, tradition and customs for the selection of successors to stools and skins. He further implored the committees set up by the various houses of chiefs to resolve chieftaincy disputes to be truthful, fair and firm in their approach to resolving them since lack of truth had been the cause of some of the protracted chieftaincy disputes in the country. The Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture, Mr. Alexander Asum Ahensan, who represented President Mills in his address, appealed to chiefs to use their candour as well as the respect they commanded in the society, to resolve amicably the numerous chieftaincy disputes that had beset the institution. He stated that even though the government would not dabble in chieftaincy matters, it would not sit down unconcerned when there was the breach of peace and security. On behalf of the President and the government, Mr. Ahensan congratulated Agyewodin Ampem on ensuring peace and development in his traditional area, the Brong-Ahafo Region and the nation at large, as well as his tremendous contribution to the educational sector. Earlier in his welcome address, Agyewodin Ampem bemoaned the indiscipline and other deviant behaviours in the society, especially among the youth, and called on traditional rulers who were the repository of the rich Ghanaian culture and heritage to lead the crusade against indiscipline in the society. Source: Daily Graphic/Ghana